Hotel Santa Caterina, A Stately Palazzo on the Amalfi Coast, Italy

I love hotels with a "wow" factor and few come with a bigger punch than Hotel Santa Caterina on Italy's beautiful Amalfi Coast. On a sunny day, most guests head straight out to the terrace before they've even dropped their bags. Perched on top of a cliff, with natural terraces of citrus groves, the hotel has an uninterrupted panorama of rugged coastline and sparkling water.

This stately all-white palazzo isn't the most luxurious hotel on the Amalfi Coast—that accolade arguably goes to Le Sirenuse in Positano—but Santa Caterina's location, service, food and gorgeous beach club and swimming pool at the base of the cliff is hard to beat.  Many roooms face the water with balconies or garden terraces to make the most of the views, and the decor is a jaunty palette of crisp white and sea blue (love the Vietri floor tiles)—the aging bathrooms could do with a makeover but that's my only complaint. The dining room and terrace are the social hub for breakfast and dinner, indoor or alfresco; the food is classic Italian, the service faultless. For lunch, most guests head for the beach club, reached by a dramatic 10-story cliffside elevator; there's no beach but a fabulous pool deck, as well as a bar and terrace restaurant serving oven-fresh pizzas and pasta. If you really want to show off, hire a private motorboat and have it pick you up from the pool deck for a super-glam tour of the coastline. There's a decent spa and gym, and the historic town of Amalfi is walking distance, but it's almost impossible to tear yourself away from such a dolce vita setting.

Room rates from €240.